How will your farm operate in the future when the owner retires or is gone? Are you currently working with another generation who may be questioning their role in the future of the farm business or are you yourself questioning your current role?
To help Wisconsin farm families start their succession planning process, Wisconsin Extension has developed an interactive workshop series, Cultivating Your Farm’s Future. This program will provide tools and resources for producers who want to begin the succession planning process. The program will explore the three step process of planning your business succession:
- Where are you now
- Where do you want to be
- How do you get there
You will be prepared to communicate, write, plan, vision and shape the legacy of the farm business as well as save time by having these crucial conversations before visiting with professionals.
Delivery of the program
The workshops will be delivered virtually, with a mix of both self-paced assignments and live, virtual group meetings via zoom. The self-paced assignments will include watching short videos, completing worksheets, and gathering necessary information. The live virtual group meetings will provide participants opportunities to discuss their homework and learn from not only the instructors but also from each other.
Who should attend?
This is for farm businesses and farm families interested in shaping the future ownership of the family farm – the family legacy. If you are the owner generation you may be wondering how to transfer a viable business to the next generation or determining how to divide farm assets. If you are the next generation you may have questions or ideas about your future role in the farm business. Multi-generations of the farm or family are encouraged to attend together.
Topics Covered
- Starting Your Succession Plan
- Determining What YOU Want
- Developing the Next Generation and Your Legacy
- Holding Family Meetings and Conversations
- Choosing and Working with Professionals
- Thinking of what is fair versus what is equal
Workshop series dates/times for live, virtual group Zoom sessions
Farms have the opportunity to choose the series that works best for their farm’s and family’s schedule .
Series One
Tuesdays, January 24, 31 and February 7, 2023, noon – 1:30 pm Registration deadline: January 17, 2023
Series Two
Thursdays, February 16, 23, and March 2, 2023, 6:00 – 7:30 pm Registration deadline: February 7, 2023
Registration Fee: $100/per farm which provides one workbook, folder of materials, course videos and three live zoom sessions; $15/additional workbook.
Multiple farm/family members are encouraged to attend.
For more information and to register https://farms.extension.wisc.edu/programs/cultivating-your-farms-future/
Even if you have attended other transition, estate, or succession planning classes, consider attending this program to get a START on YOUR succession plan.
For more information contact Kaitlyn Davis, La Crosse County Extension Agriculture Educator, kaitlyn.davis2@wisc.edu or Joy Kirkpatrick, UW-Madison Division of Extension Farm Succession Outreach Specialist, joy.kirkpatrick@wisc.edu